The Best Con
by kyoiku kanji
Summary: Vin was forced to give his word to take a band of villains to their loot and it's up to Ezra to rescue him.


**A/N - **Thanks to MGM for two great years. The Magnificent Seven still belongs to them, and this work is not meant to challenge or lay claim to them. I just miss them.

**The Best Con is the One You Don't See Coming**

Ezra winced as the two thugs continued to 'question' Vin. He strained against his bonds, trying to do anything he could to stop them or at least draw their attention away from the man, but it only seemed to urge them on to more brutality.

"Yer next," one of them assured him, his eyes twinkling with anticipation.

"No… enough…" Vin groaned, something akin to fear shining in his eyes. "Let him go… I'll tell you everything. I'll take you to your damn money."

A third man entered the room, still looking crisp and fresh having not been a part of the 'interrogation.'

"Please, Mr. Tanner, where is the sense in that?"

"I," Vin answered, his head wearily rising until he met the man's gaze, "I, give you my word."

"Yer word," the thug who'd threatened Ezra sneered.

"Saunders, please… unlike some people," the third man, Albright, stated glaring at Ezra. "Mr. Tanner's word is his bond."

"But…"

"Samuel, I believe Mr. Standish understands what will happen to Mr. Tanner, should he decide to reveal our little agreement to anyone." He tilted his head and studied Ezra. "Don't you, Ezra?"

"I understand completely, sir," Ezra assured him, knowing that any wrong move would cause Vin further injury.

"Good then," The crisply dressed man said with a nod indicating it had all been solved. "You will return to Four Corners where you will tell your friends whatever you have to, to make sure they stay in town, and we shall finish our… quest."

Ezra gave the man as solemn a look as he dared. "I assure you, I will, but heaven help you if any harm comes to Mr. Tanner while he is in your custody."

"Just keep your friends away and he'll be fine."

Ezra's eyes narrowed slightly. He knew that Vin would be anything but 'fine' under the given circumstances, but he also knew that once Vin's word had been given there was very little he could do but let the former bounty hunter call the shots.

He wasn't entirely surprised when Vin met his gaze, but he was surprised by the gentleness in his voice. "This ain't yer fault Ez, so don't be takin' it on yourself. I'll be along directly."

Ezra swallowed and nodded, knowing that if anyone would understand the words left unspoken, it would be Vin.

He wasn't sure, but he thought he saw a twinkle in Vin's eyes when he returned the nod.

It was the last thing he remembered before everything went black.

M7 – M7 – M7

Ezra woke to a splitting headache and the feeling of cotton in his mouth. When he tried to roll over he found he was still tied to the chair. If anyone had been around to hear him he would have given them an earful, but as it was he was bound, gagged and alone.

'And how,' he asked himself. 'Do they expect me to get home and keep the boys in town if I'm sitting here trussed up like Christmas Dinner?'

He knew that this had been part of their plan all along, that all the talk of honor was as false as one of Maude's smiles. Thinking about it, he realized that Vin had given his word provided they let him go, something they obviously hadn't planned on doing, and that meant they had broken their word from the start and thereby voided the agreement.

'You knew, didn't you?' he observed, his opinion of Vin rising in appreciation. 'Of course you did, you had a plan in mind… but I don't think, you quite, intended for me…'

He let out a slight sigh as he managed to slip his left hand out of the ropes. As he worked himself free he continued his reasoning. 'To be all tied up.'

He quickly surveyed the area and when he realized he was alone he worked on getting himself oriented and figuring out what had happened since he'd been knocked out.

It was a dangerous game Vin was playing, especially considering the fact that he was counting on Ezra to track down Mister Jack Albright and his band of miscreants.

If he hadn't seen the twinkle in Vin's eyes, if he hadn't heard his assurances, Ezra would never have believed that Vin was up to something. It's what gave him the advantage. Vin was the man of honor while everyone knew that he, Ezra P. Standish, was the trickster. They expected trickery from the conman, but not from the straight forward tracker, and Vin was using that against Albright.

M7 – M7 – M7

Ezra winced as the sunlight didn't so much blind him as strike him in the back of his skull. He wanted to close his eyes and wait for the world to stop spinning, but he knew it wouldn't help and any further delay would only make things that much worse for Vin.

Going back to Four Corners would be the prudent thing to do: any of the others could do a better job of tracking Albright and his men. Hell, he was fairly certain that JD's horse could do a better job of tracking than he could, but it wasn't in the cards.

Going back now would mean abandoning any hope of helping Vin and, Lord help him, he'd grown rather fond of the laconic man.

"All right, Mister Tanner," he said to no one in particular. "I need a sign here…"

He scanned the area, and after a moment he let out a laugh. "Indeed, Mister Tanner, well played, well played indeed."

He looked at the sign for the Saloon at the edge of town and knew Vin would lead Albright and his men right past it, if for no other reason than the fact that Ezra would understand and follow.

How could he resist a saloon called 'The Crazy Fox'?

Ezra headed towards the livery stable and was relieved to find his horse and saddle were still where he'd left them.

"Thank goodness for small favors," he muttered to his horse as he rode past the saloon and kept riding.

M7 – M7 – M7

Following the trail, if you could call it that, was more like a whimsical treasure hunt than actual tracking. Where Vin would have been off his horse studying the ground, Ezra found himself looking at rock formations that looked like card suits, or knives: ordinary things he knew Vin would use to lead him to where he was needed. One of the formations that made him smile was grouping of pillar-like rocks that looked like seven men standing side by side.

He took it as a sign and headed towards them, hoping to save time and perhaps catch up with Albright and his men before something untoward happened to Vin.

The ride was far longer than he had hoped it would be, and riding it without the others felt so wrong. Even Chris Larabee with his silent glare would have made things better, but it was only him and his horse trying to get to Vin before Albright and his men caught on to Mister Tanner's ruse.

The sun was setting by the time he reached the rocks, their shadows stretching out across the valley like silent guardians. He had more than enough time to name each of the shadows, including his own.

Nestled in the rocks that had been his guides, Ezra dozed off.

He needed another sign.

M7 - M7 - M7

The sign came later that night when he saw the campfire off to his left. He wasn't quite 'ahead' of them, but he was in position to flank them.

He knew that any fire on his part would be seen and investigated, and so he dozed fitfully through the night, his hands shoved into his pockets for warmth.

M7 - M7 - M7

The morning came far too early in Ezra's opinion and with it a blinding headache. He knew that if Nathan had been there he'd have been watching him, that patient, caring look on his face.

"Now Ezra," he would have said, "You took a rather nasty blow to the head and you need to take it easy."

Easy would have to wait until he and Vin had put some serious distance between them and Albright.

"I shall take it under advisement, Mister Jackson," he promised the shadow of his friend before orienting himself and trying to figure out Vin's endgame.

M7 - M7 - M7

He watched as five horses left a trail of dust then scanned ahead, trying to determine their destination.

"Just where are you leading them, Mister Tanner?" He mused as he studied their surroundings.

Standing in the shadows of the seven guardians he searched the valley for some clue to Vin's plan. The trail from the south led to an open plain. There was little cover and an uneven arroyo cut them off from the west. He let his gaze track further to the east as he started naming the formations.

It tickled his tongue. "Prairie, mountains, caves, arroyo," he said then his eyes widened as he repeated 'arroyo'. "Arroyo, Guy Royal, Arroyo… I wonder…"

The man had stolen his jacket, ruined an otherwise profitable enterprise, and threatened people Vin had taken a liking to. It was a name that would mean less than nothing to Albright, but it meant everything to Ezra.

Ezra smiled. "Of course you'd pick that as the ideal trap for Albright."

The only problem was getting there without them noticing. Looking down he had to laugh.

"Indeed, Mr. Tanner, indeed," he said shaking his head in delight. At the foot of the seven pillars was the opening of the arroyo. It would cover his movements and allow him to get into position.

"Very well, Mr. Tanner, I shall endeavor to follow your lead."

M7 - M7 - M7

The path through the arroyo was a treacherous one. More than once he had to stop and gather his wits about him. The midday heat was starting to affect him and he was having trouble staying focused.

"Dammit, Ezra," he could hear Chris growl. "You bail on Vin, it's like bailing on me… You come back with him, or you don't bother coming back."

Ezra forced himself up and pushed on. "Mr. Larabee, I promised you I would never sneak out on you again, and I am offended that you would think I would allow these ruffians to put an end to our stalwart companion."

M7-M7-M7

Ezra did his best to lead his horse through the arroyo, but it was tough going and finally he was forced to leave his horse tethered loosely to a rock and continue on foot. He knew it would make getting away from Albright's men harder on both himself and Vin, but there was no way he was going to get any closer without them seeing him or without injuring his horse, and then where would their escape be?

No, if he wanted to do this, he was going to have to do it on foot.

The shadows had lengthened again as they had the day before and once again they became his companions and guides on his trip through the arroyo.

"But, Ezra, why all this sneaking? I mean... you could just get your horse and ride in there..." Ezra turned, a pained expression on his face as he was forced to explain the situation to J.D.

"Mister Dunne, I assure you, if I tried that the first thing they would do is shoot Mister Tanner simply for spite, and then escape would be that much harder. This calls for a more subtle approach."

"But, Ez... last time you went for the subtle approach the man passed out drunker than a skunk..."

"Ah yes, my friend, subtle is sometimes wasted, but in this case with Mister Albright at the helm, I fear his men will be sober as The Judge himself. No this will take a certain, finesse."

"But how are you going to get out? you're hurt and Vin's hurt... there's no way you're going to out run them."

"Ah, an excellent point, Mister Dunne. I will have to liberate one or two of their horses before we take our leave."

"Huh?"

"Never mind, J.D., why don't you stay with my horse and make sure he doesn't hurt himself?"

"I can take care of myself, Ezra."

"Of that I am certain, Mister Dunne, but my horse is a cantankerous beast at best and, if left to himself, he will extricate himself from my crudely tied tether-line and Lord knows where he would go. I simply cannot take that risk when Mister Tanner's life is on the line."

"I can help."

"I know you can, Mister Dunne, but since you are merely a delusionary product of my current state, I cannot afford to let you help. No, no... I will continue on, and you will watch my horse."

"But you'll let Buck and the others come along..."

"Indeed I will, Mister Dunne, but through no choosing of my own. I am afraid those four of whom you speak shall dog my trail and there will be nothing I can do to dissuade them. Gentlemen?"

Without a further glance backwards he continued on knowing that Buck, Nathan, Josiah, and Chris were following him. They would finish this, one way or another.

M7-m7-M7

It was full dark, and Ezra had no idea how long he'd slept; he wasn't even sure he had slept so much as passed out. The last thing he remembered was Buck offering to take point, and he, somewhat bemusedly, pointing out that it would, in fact, be pointless for Buck to scout ahead since he was just a hallucination and therefore wouldn't be able to tell him anything useful and that maybe he'd be better off if Buck would simply join J.D. and wait with the horses, horse... stay behind.

Thinking about it he remembered Buck beating his hat against his leg and angrily announcing that he was going to do just that, and it was the last time he was going to try and do anything nice for Ezra.

To be honest the journey had taken on some rather surreal aspects, and the only thing he knew for sure was that Vin needed him and he was going to do everything he could to be there for him.

In his mind he could hear Nathan telling him to drink and take it easy. He had tried but the image of Chris' disapproving glare drove him on until he had suddenly found himself wrapped in darkness.

"Just look at you, Ezra," he heard his mother call to him in her sugary voice- that sweet voice that was simply honey coated barbed wire. There was no arguing when she got that tone.

"You're going to get yourself killed and for what? A man who's probably already dead? Where are the odds in this? I swear I taught you better than that."

He smiled at the way she could turn the word 'swear' into a three syllable word and make it sound proper.

"Mother, I assure you, Mister Tanner is still alive, and to be honest the only way I'm getting out of this current situation is with his help, so excuse me if I continue this 'fool's errand.'"

"After I've had my say and you," she declared, "have had something to drink. Am I clear?"

"As clear as crystal, Mother."

He did his best to drink as his mother ordered but he knew he was running out of time.

He had to know how close he was and what Vin's condition was if they were going to have any hope of getting out of this alive.

"Vin," he said to no one in particular. "I hope you're in better shape than I am, or this is going to be the world's shortest rescue."

M7-M7-M7

It took him three tries to get to the edge of the Arroyo and pull himself up enough so he could spot Albright's fire. It took him even longer to orient himself and once he had, he realized that they were tantalizingly close yet dangerously far away.

He was running out of time. They both were.

M7-M7-M7

"Now, Ezra, I know you don't like listening to me, but you're going to have to."

Ezra blinked, trying to figure out what Nathan was going on about. All he wanted to do was sleep. There was something else, but for the life of him, he couldn't remember what it was.

"Ezra! Pull yourself together. You have a concussion and instead of listening to me about it, you had to go and get yourself a case of heat exhaustion to go with it. You have to get Vin, and you have to get out of here before the sun comes up. If you don't, you're going to get yourself killed and that's not going to do Vin any good now is it?"

Ezra tried to focus on what Nathan was saying but it was hard, and when he looked directly at the man he seemed to fade into the night sky.

"Mister Jackson, I do believe you're right, but there's very little I can do about it now, is there?"

"You have to drink and you have to keep moving. You fall asleep now you're not going to wake up."

"Are you trying to scare me, Mister Jackson?"

"Nah, I'm merely trying to point out just how serious this is."

"Mister Jackson, I hope you will believe me when I tell you that I know exactly how serious this is and if you would give me one moment's rest..."

"You'll have plenty of time to rest, when you're dead."

"That I will, Mister Jackson, that I will. And I fully expect you to say something nice over my grave."

"Leave that to me son," he heard Josiah assure him.

"Ah, Mister Sanchez, I was wondering when you were going to make your appearance. Are you the ghost of Christmas past, or 'yet to come' I seem to have lost track. Dickens only gave three to Ebenezer but I seem to have acquired six..."

"What we need is a plan."

"Yes, Mister Larabee, Lord knows we could use one about now, but I still have to get into position and try and extricate Mr. Tanner from this situation."

"You get him out we'll take care of the rest."

He wasn't sure, but he thought he saw an evil gleam in Chris' eyes, and he was once again very glad that Chris Larabee was on his side.

"This should prove interesting," he said with a sigh and pushed on towards the encampment.

M7-m7-M7

Ezra was surprised he had managed to get as close to the encampment as he had with no one noticing, what with his mother and Nathan nattering at him about drinking and concussions and whether circus monkeys should wear hats or not. After that they had begun comparing notes on how hard he was to take care of, especially with his or'nery streak and all.

He was about to yell at them to shut up and let him think when, thankfully, Josiah interrupted extolling the virtues of patience.

True to his word, Chris had remained behind to work on some sort of diversion, but something was telling him this wasn't the best of ideas. He couldn't put his finger on it since Chris was almost always their lead when it came to tactics.

Usually he was the diversion and suddenly he had a sneaking suspicion that this was exactly the case now, only Chris hadn't had the decency to warn him beforehand.

He let his breath out and realized that it was usually best not to tell the sacrificial lamb what he was up against. It just tended to make its last few moments on earth that much harder.

"Very well, Mister Larabee, if that is your intention, my life for that of Mister Tanner's. I was, after all, the one who'd gotten him into this mess with my quest for buried treasure."

He inched his way to the edge of the arroyo and paused. Not more than five feet from him lay the subject of his search, staked out to a tree like some macabre puppet.

As he began working out how to get Vin armed and on his horse, he heard a coyote howl. He smiled, realizing the sound was coming from where he'd left Chris.

'That twinkle in his eyes did look rather lupine in nature,' he thought to himself as the howl was met with a second and then a third.

'That would be J.D. and Buck,' Josiah told him. 'Get ready to move.'

M7-M7-M7

From his vantage point, Ezra watched as the men reacted to the perceived threat. It was obvious from the way they'd laid out their camp that they weren't excepting anyone to come through the arroyo. Only a fool would do such a thing.

'Fools, children and gamblers, Mister Albright: fools, children and gamblers.'

He chuckled to himself. The horses, who had been put on the outside of the encampment, were agitated enough that Ezra would have sworn they were dealing with real coyotes rather than Chris, Buck and J.D.

As Albright and his men went to calm the horses, Ezra didn't so much slip over the edge as flop and roll, but the end result was the same, and it got him where he needed to be. He quickly moved into the shadow of the tree and nudged Vin.

"Mister Tanner, are you alive in there?" he whispered.

"Ezra? What are you doing here? Ya dang fool... I was trying to lead them away from you."

"You're most welcome, Mister Tanner, your gratefulness is duly noted, but the sooner I get you untied the sooner Nathan will stop glaring at me and lecturing me on how you're supposed to treat head injuries."

"Nathan's here?"

"Yes," Ezra answered as he pulled one of Vin's concealed knives out of his boot and began cutting through the ropes. "Although right now he and my mother and engaged in discussing the virtues of having a head strong 'idjit' as a son and or patient... and something about monkeys. Josiah will probably be able to explain it better once we're headed away from here."

The look Vin gave him made him freeze in his tracks. "I believe it's the head injury, Nathan was talking about... but either way the sooner we are free of these maniacs, the better."

Vin nodded, but it was clear he was worried about Ezra. If he had anything else to say, he kept it to himself, unlike the accumulated host of hallucinations that had accompanied him so far. As he felt the ropes give way, he sat down, spent from the effort.

"Ezra," Vin warned as he tried to pull him to his feet.

"I think, Mister Tanner, that this is as far as I can go. You best leave before they've deal with the coyotes.

"Like hell," Vin answered through gritted teeth.

"How like you to refuse my assistance," Ezra sighed. "It's all part of the plan."

"Well then the plan is stupid, and you're stupid for going along with it."

"It was Chris's idea, and you know I would never go against Chris. Just follow the arroyo towards the seven stones... J.D.'s with my horse."

"Just like that, I'm supposed to leave you here? Alone?"

"I'm not alone," Ezra said, as he sagged back to his knees staring off into the night. "All my friends are here... and... Li Pong?"

He could almost see the panic in Vin's eyes as the tracker began pulling him harder. After a second try, he turned to Ezra, his eyes flashing with anger. "If Li Pong's here then you've got to get her to safety. You have to protect her."

"Li Pong?"

"Yes... let's get her back to your horse. She'll be safe there..."

It was the last coherent thing Ezra remembered, which struck him as odd since it wasn't all that coherent to begin with.

M7-M7-M7

The first thing that Ezra noticed was the fact that he had been indecorously draped over the back of an asthmatic nag with a lumbering gate that reminded him more of a camel than a horse. He shifted slightly, trying to allow the beast a better chance of surviving the trip when it answered with a very human gasp of pain.

That brought him to his senses.

"Vin?" He paused, getting his bearings, but when Vin continued to surge forward he groaned.

"Mister Tanner, put me down this instant!"

"Can't do that, Ez." Vin's answer was accompanied by another gasp of pain.

"And why the hell not?"

"'Cause if I try and set you down, we're both going to fall. Now go back to sleep and stop nagging."

Ezra had a comeback all prepared but when he opened his eyes and spoke the sky was noticeably lighter.

"Either I am still hallucinating or I seem to have drifted in and out of unconsciousness," he muttered.

"Several times," Vin grunted in confirmation.

"Oh dear..."

"It'll be fine, Ezra... just... have to ... make it to... your horse."

"You can set me down now," Ezra assured him.

"You go running off after Li Pong again, I ain't chasin' you."

That struck Ezra far harder than he'd expected. "I am sorry Mister Tanner, it seems I have made a botchery of this rescue attempt."

"We're free, ain't we?"

"There is that."

"Then rest... we're nearly to the rock formation that looks like J.D's hat. I'm assuming that's what you meant by leaving your horse with J.D."

Ezra smiled, figuring this wasn't the best of times to tell Vin he had no idea what he was talking about. Instead he sank back into blessed unconsciousness.

M7-M7-M7

They had almost reached the seven rocks when Ezra noticed what was going on around him. At least now he was sitting in the saddle. He wavered slightly as the ground seemed to rush up at him, only to have Vin's arms tighten around him.

He tried to piece things together but the first thing he noticed was the way Vin was breathing.

"Mister Tanner, would you be so kind as to explain what we are doing on a horse in the middle of a trench in this unbearable heat and why you are sounding like my dear departed grandmother?"

There was a slight pause and he realized that that did not quite come out the way he had meant it. "I mean to say..."

"It's alright, Ezra, you apologized the last time."

There was something in Vin's tone that gave him pause and he turned slightly, surprised to see just how haggard Vin was looking.

"What have I missed?"

"What's the last thing you remember?"

There was something in Vin's tone that told him they had already been through this several times, but there was also a sense of relief to have someone to talk to that was actually there.

"Bank robbers... we were following bank robbers." He paused pleased with himself then stopped. "No, we weren't following the bank robbers. We caught most of them... but... we were trying to find the money they stole."

"Money, gold, and the personal items they took from those in the bank."

Ezra squinted as he tried to remember. "Mrs. Travis' broach."

"And Chris' wedding ring."

Ezra nodded, trying to recall why it was just him and Vin, and then he remembered: Chris and Buck had been injured in the robbery and subsequent shootout.

"Mister Tanner, the next time I come up with some half thought out scheme to do good, please remind me in no uncertain terms that it never ends well."

"I'll try and remember to do that."

M7-M7-M7

Ezra sat up and immediately regretted the effort. He eased himself back down and slowly let his gaze take in his surroundings.

He was, once again, nestled between the seven pillars, but this time Vin was there, leaning up against a nearby rock. Slowly he reached out and touched Vin's leg just to make sure he was really there.

"For the seventh time Ezra, I'm here, I'm all right, and we're waiting for nightfall to make sure Albright and his men have actually left."

Ezra nodded and was about to speak when Vin continued.

"When we left, Nathan assured us that while they wouldn't be up to riding for at least a week, both Chris and Buck will be fine. Yes, Nathan is going to give us an earful, and no, I don't think they'll let us keep the reward money from the bank robbery."

Ezra blinked and as he started to speak, Vin again answered his questions before he could ask him.

"Yes, I know where the money is, we found it before Albright's men found us. It's tucked in your saddle bags looking like a freshly laundered shirt."

He blinked trying to remember if he'd already asked those questions and found it all rather hazy.

"I think I'll just get some rest."

"You do that Ezra, but have something to drink first."

"Very well," he sighed and did as he was instructed.

When he started to reach for Vin's leg, Vin sighed.

"Ezra, I'm not an illusion, or delusion or any other kind of 'lusion. I just need to get some rest, an' you do too. We'll hear Albright coming if it comes to that and we're as safe as we can be. Now rest."

And rest he did.

M7-M7-M7

"Yep, it's a concussion all right," he heard Nathan declare as he tried to focus on the newest intrusion into his rest. He was really wishing his hallucinations would at the very least remember more than he did about a given situation.

"Mister Jackson, I would appreciate it if you did not sound quite so cheerful about something you have already ascertained on previous visits. You and my mother have done nothing but discuss this at great length."

"Do you know what he's talkin' about?"

"He's been hallucinating, probably since Albright's men knocked him out."

"How long ago was that?"

"Two, maybe three days."

"Two, maybe three days, and he's been out here like this? Why didn't you?"

Nathan's questioning was interrupted by a coughing fit from Vin.

Ezra sat up, he did not like the way Vin was sounding. It was the first sign that his companion was far worse off than he'd let on earlier.

He focused on Vin, listening to what the imaginary Nathan would say, since odds were even an imaginary version of the healer would be better equipped to ascertain Vin's condition.

"And you?"

"Albright's men had a few questions to ask... didn't like the answers I recon."

Nathan shook his head, "There's got to be more to it than that."

"I may have slipped down an embankment and Ezra may have landed on me..."

"Mister Tanner, I am so sorry..."

"Ez, listen to me. This ain't your fault. Nathan's here now. Everything's going to be fine. You just have to drink and rest."

Ezra nodded with a solemn, almost childlike expression on his face before once again reaching out and patting Vin's leg. Only then did he do as he was told.

As he drifted off to sleep he heard Nathan ask Vin, "Why does he keep doing that?"

"Make sure I'm really here," he heard Vin's answer. It was simple enough, but it also spoke of understanding, and to Ezra that meant hope of being forgiven for causing the former bounty hunter more harm.

M7-M7-M7

Ezra felt the ground beneath him lurch and with it his stomach. Opening his eyes for a point of reference he found himself laying in the back of a buckboard alone, his saddle blanket thrown over him for warmth.

His horse had been tied to the back of the buckboard, but other than a pile of blankets next to him, there was no sign of the others.

Despite his best intentions, Ezra began to panic. How much of what he remembered was real; how much of it was the product of his own mind? As he sat up, trying to make sure Albright and his men weren't at the bottom of this, he heard a calm voice reassuring him that everything was all right.

He leaned over and realized the 'pile of blankets' was, in fact, Vin Tanner.

Without thinking he reached out and touched Vin's leg, and was rewarded with a weary sigh. "Yeah, Ezra, I'm still here. I'm real... and so are the others. They're just..."

His reassurance was lost in a coughing fit that told Ezra all was not right.

"Mister Tanner?"

"Be all right, Ez... Nathan an'tothers... takin' Albright and his men to the jail. Then Nathan's gonna take us over to the hotel and see to our injuries all proper-like... Probably hear a lot about that in the coming days.

"But you are real?"

"Real, an' here," Vin answered with a slight chuckle. "Hurt too much to be an illusion."

"That's good... not that you're hurt," Ezra quickly corrected himself. "But..."

"That this is real?"

"Indeed, Mister Tanner. Indeed."

M7-M7-M7

Ezra was surprised when Nathan and Josiah helped him out of the buckboard and led him, not to Nathan's 'office' but to the hotel.

"I ran outta room," Nathan said half explaining, half chiding. "An' I'm not going to run myself ragged running between places. Figure a hotel suite's as good as a hospital ward."

"Mr. Jackson, I promise you that was not my intention..."

"Intention or no, you ever notice that you and the others account for most of my repeat business?"

"Mr. Jackson, Nathan... I honestly am sorry for any inconvenience I may have caused..."

"Ezra, I know you. Soon as you can you're going to slip off or try and make me kick you out."

"Not this time Nathan. Not this time."

There was something in the stark honesty that surprised both of them.

Ezra smiled, his eyes twinkling. "Unless of course you and my mother begin comparing notes again and discussing the virtue of haberdashery for chimpanzees."

Ezra was too busy chuckling at his own joke to notice the worried looks Nathan and Josiah gave him.

M7-M7-M7

Ezra watched worriedly as Nathan and Josiah half carried, half dragged Vin into the suite Nathan had rented. He was once again struck by the seriousness of Vin's injuries and once again at a loss as to how he'd gotten them.

"Best put me near Ezra," he heard Vin say softly as Nathan had started to settle him into the nearest bed. He had never felt more... cared for... in all his life. The man had risked his life protecting him and he still was.

"Mister Tanner," he said, pushing himself out of bed, his concern for his friend overriding his sense of self preservation. "You do not need to keep protecting me... I am perfectly capable of..."

He blinked, a combination of fear and dizziness filling him as the room swam around him. "This cannot be good..."

M7-M7-M7

Ezra woke with a start, quickly taking in his surroundings. Without really meaning to, he reached out and poked the man in the next bed. He felt and more than a little ashamed when he heard Vin groan.

"Dammit, Ezra. This is real, I'm real, Nathan's here... he's real… go poke him for a bit and let me sleep will ya?"

"Why do you keep doing that?" Nathan asked as he moved closer and sat down.

Ezra did his best to answer Nathan's questions truthfully, an endeavor made far harder by the fact that much of what he remembered was hearsay at best. After a moment he realized that was exactly what Nathan was trying to understand.

"To make sure he's real..."

Nathan studied him for a moment and nodded. To Ezra's relief, it seemed the healer knew what he was talking about.

"What can you tell me about what happened?"

"I shall attempt to explain, but I fear much of what I remember has absolutely no bearing on reality..."

It was a start.

M7-M7-M7

By the time Ezra finished telling them what he remembered from before the beating, Chris had joined them and he was not happy in the least.

"I told you two to look where Robertson said he left the money, I didn't want you to take on the rest of the gang."

Ezra glared at him, remembering the feeling of abandonment when he realized Chris would never be happy with him unless he brought Vin back to Four Corners.

"Mister Larabee, sometimes you ask too much of people... and next time you plan on using me as the diversion, I would appreciate it if you let me know beforehand."

Chris gave him a confused look and turned towards Nathan. "Do you know what he's talking about?"

"I have no idea."

"No, you were busy arguing with my mother, while I was trying to sneak into camp, and Mister Larabee here, along with Buck and JD turned into..." He paused, closing his eyes as he realized he was blaming Chris for the things he had perceived hallucinatory Chris of doing.

"Why don't you start with what you remember?"

"I think, you will be better off talking to Mister Tanner," Ezra answered sullenly.

M7-M7-M7

Chris was worried. He could tell that much just by looking at him, but hell, he was worried too. Vin's breathing had eased but there was still a rasp that had Nathan a 'tad concerned.' His own memories of what had happened, as fanciful as they were, were starting to fade and Vin had shown no signs of waking up since he had groused at him for poking him yet again.

It took him a while to realize that Chris was giving him the same worried look he was giving Vin and that made him feel that much worse. It had all started out so...

He bit his lip and shook his head. He honestly couldn't remember how it started.

"Talk to me Ezra," Chris urged.

"It's all a jumble," he finally admitted, allowing Chris to see behind his mask. "I remember bits and pieces and not much else."

He paused and when Chris simply watched him expectantly he began picking at the blanket as he tried to explain what had happened.

"They knew us, knew they couldn't trust me, knew that as long as Mister Tanner here gave his word, that he would keep it. Forced him to... "

He paused, his eyes widening as he remembered. "They beat him and told him I was next... they forced him to give his word."

He looked over at Vin, a new appreciation for the man's honor and his intelligence, and sheer audacity blossoming as he spoke.

"But he tricked them," he said shaking his head. "He said he would show them where their gold was, if they let me go..."

"But they didn't let you go, did they?"

"Indeed they did not. They..."

The sentence drifted off and for a moment so did he, as he rubbed his head and tried to remember. "After that, I'm afraid it's a bit of a jumble. I extricated myself from their crude bindings when I awoke, but they were already gone."

"But how'd you find them?"

"I followed them... sort of. Mister Tanner left a trail even I could follow."

"Dammit Ezra, I was leading them away from you. You were supposed to go to Four Corners..." he heard Vin groan.

Joy and concern fought for dominance as he reached out and put his hand on Vin's shoulder.

"Yeah, Ez... Still here."

This brought a smile to Ezra's face.

"Indeed you are, Mister Tanner. Indeed you are."

M7-M7-M7

If it had been anyone other than Vin telling the story, Ezra wouldn't have believed a word of it, even the parts he knew were true. It was simply too whimsical, especially considering their injuries.

To his embarrassment and bemusement, Ezra learned that all the careful clues Vin had left behind were wholly coincidental. He was so sure that Vin was plotting Albright's eventual capture that he never thought about the fact that best con of all was the unintentional one.

Even as he was once again dissecting the situation, he felt mortified.

"Ezra," Vin called him back from his darkening thoughts. "You did good. What you did, ain't many can track a man by where he'd go, rather than figuring where he went."

Vin spoke softly with his easy going smile and a raised eyebrow that said, 'you know I'm right.'

"Indeed, Mister Tanner, but I am ashamed that I so readily missed your intent," Ezra objected. He may have done what few men could, but he had totally missed the fact that Vin wanted him to get out of there and back to Four Corners with the money and gold from the bank robbery.

"End result was the same," Vin said in a matter of fact tone.

"But I fear we are far worse for the wear."

Vin looked up at him and shook his head. "That was all on Albright," he declared. "He dealt the cards, we just played them out the best we could."

"But, it would have been far easier if I…"

"If you what, Ezra?" Vin asked, dismissing his objection with yet another smile. "His men gave you that concussion. Way I see it everything that happened was Albright's fault, directly or indirectly, all the way back to Chris getting shot."

Ezra closed his mouth, a new appreciation of his friend, his brother growing. Vin, who only told the 'entertaining bits' that wouldn't embarrass him too much, and knew to leave out the parts that were embarrassing, or simply too painful to be heard.

Li Pong

He smiled and rested his hand on Vin's shoulder, and wasn't entirely surprised when Vin smiled, and nodded.

"I'm still here, Ezra."

"Indeed you are."


End file.
